Broaching machine



Oct. 1, 1946. F. J. LAPOINTE BROACHING MACHINE Filed Feb. 10, 1942 7 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. -1, 1946.

F. J. LAPOINTE BROAZJHING MACHINE Filed Feb. 1Q. 1942 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 Oct. 1, 1946. F. .1. LAPOINTE BROACHING MACHINE Shets-Sheet Filed Feb. 10, 1942 lllll rllr l-lllllllllvlll. lllllllllllll.

INVENTOR. Jlq vozz'zze,

Oct. 1, 1946.

F. J. LAPOINTE BROACHING MACHINE Filed Feb; 10, 1942 '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Oct. 1, 1946. I JJLAPQINTE 2,408,521

BROACHING MACHINE Filed Feb. 10, 1942 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENT OR.

fiancaJjTgvonZ,

, Patented Oct. 1, 1946 Francis J. Lapointe, Ann

to American Broach&

Arbor, Micln, assignor Machine (30., Ann Arbor,

Mich.,, a corporation of Michigan Application February 10, 1942, Serial No. 430,235

16 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a broaching machine and to a method of broaching by the use of' such machine, and it is illustrated herein as embodied in a mechanism designed particularly for producing the rifiing'in' a gun or cannon barrel.

One object of the invention is to provide a breaching. machine in which a series of br'oaches is employed in a manner to secure an unusually smooth and accurate result.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine in which aseries of breaches is employed to complete a piece of work and in which a rack or support is arranged to travel with the moving element of the machine" so as to be conveniently positioned at all times for presenting the broaches when they are wanted for use in the machine, and for receiving the broa'ches as they are removed therefrom.

A further object of the invention i 'to provide a specialuarrangement for supplying coolant .to a breach and to: the work during the broaching operation.

It: is also an object of the invention to-provide a bro-aching machine for drawing a broach through the bore of a piece of work to form splines or grooves therein, together with mechanism for rotating one of the parts to render the resulting grooves or splines helical in form; and it is a further object to arrange themechanisrn for this purpose in a compact assembly without undue elongation of" the machine.

More specifically, it is an object of the inven-- tion to provide a machine having a support-for a workpiece in which a bore isto be broached; together with a tube sealably connectible with the bore of the work piece and dimensioned to enclose the breach in its initial position, together with mean-sfor supplying coolant to the tube and." to the breach as the latter isforced through the bore of the work piece. j

Gther objects and advantages of the invention will appear irom'the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in-which-z Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a broaching machine embodying this invention; showing a 'gun barrel mounted in position to be operated upon and. showing the broach-carrying rack disposed substantially in itsv initial position in relation to the working stroke.

Fig. 2' is a similar perspective view of the machine showing the pull head and broach'rack at the positions which they assume atthe end of the working stroke.

Fig; 3' is a vertical sectional view of the prin-' cipal working parts of the machine with portions broken out to condense the view longitudinally, and showing: a portion of a gun barrelin position to-be broached,

Fig. is a transversevertical section taken as indi'catedat linei llli'cnFig 3.

2. Fig; 5' isa detailv plan view' ofthe worklhold ing fixture and coolant tube connection shown; in Fig; 3;.

Fig- 6 is a front: elevation',.part1y in sectibn,.

constituting: largely' a. longitudinal extension or. Fig. 3 to show the lead screw and the 'hydraulic cylinderfor operating thebroacha Fig; 7 is a transvers vertical; section taken as: indicated at" line"Tl'onFig..6.

Fig. 8 is a transverse sectionita'ken as indicatedat 8--8"on:Fig. 6,

Fig. his a transverse section. on a larger scale" taken as indicated'at. line 9+9- on Fig,..6.

Fig. 10 is adetail sectiontakezr.asindicatedzat' 1i11ei|a '|fl'OII-Fig 9E.

Fig. 1'1 isa detail sectionat line. I |.=*'l |.'..0n. Figs 10. I 1

Fig. 12 is a detail section atline l2-|.2 on Fig. 10.

Fig. 13 is a side elevation; of. the first broachof; the series employed in theig-uir rifling: operation, with parts broken out toicond'ensethe View 10111-- gitudinally.

Fig. 141is across section of: thefirstibroach of the series. v

Fig. 15- is a cross section of. the; second broach of the series'.

Fig; 16 is a cross section of the third breach of the series.

Fig; 17 isia cross section of the fourth breach of the series.-

Fig; 18 is a side elevation of the leading: end" portion cfa typical brojach.

Fig.v 19- is an: axial section 01. a portion of a certain breach of the series, taken a's indicated at line'- I 9-4 9*on- Fig." '17.

Fig; 20 is a side elevation. of. a pull rodiemployed' inconnection with the breaches; with parts broken outto condensethe-vi'ew.

'Whilethe invention is susceptible of various; modifications and-alternative constructions}. it isshowi'i in thedrawings'and' will be described hereinafterin' a' pr'eferred embodiment, butitis not intended that the invention isto be limited thereby to thefspecific embodiment disclosed; but it' is intendedito coverall modifications and-alternative: constructions falling within the spirit-and, scope' of the appended claims.

Certain principles of thepresent inventionlwill. be applicable to broac'hing' operations in which: straight grooves or: splines? are formed in' the-bore of a workipiece but themachinherein-shown:

in the. drawings themechanisrn arranged; and; the breaches themselves are designectz-for; giving: a: predetennined. pitch v to the splines: to produce: the: helical form: commonly" known as: mi-fling?" as: applied'to a: gun barrel; Assshown. in Figs-t 1 and 2, the machine comprisesttwo principal sections connected together end to end; these are the: work table section I and the mechanismsection 2. .A gun: barrel- 3ais1shown=supported=ongthe q so alined with the gun barrel 3 and the end of the 1 tube is connected with a longitudinally adjustable section 8 which terminates in a sealing fixture 9 directly engageable with the end of the gun barrel 3. A disengageable coupling I3 permits liquid-tight connection between the section 8 and the tube 6, and a flexible pipe connection is provided at for supplying coolant liquid to the interior of the part 8 from which it flows into the tube 6 and into the gun barrel 3 during the broaching operation. The fixed support l2, in which the part 8 is slidably mounted, is slotted at l3 to accommodate the supply tube and permit-limited longitudinal movement of the part 8 in the support.

It will be understood that the number of broaches employed in a series to produce a given piece of work will vary with the nature of the work'and the character of the broaches themselves; in the illustrated machine there is employed a series of four broaches, with an optional fifth broach which may be used for a final finishing'operatio'n. Each of the regular four broaches includes a series of graduated cutting teeth, and isprovided with a pull rod or shank which is disengageably connected to the leading end of the broach and which is long enough to extend through the gun barrel for attachment to the pull head of the machine by which the broach is'd'rawn through the barrel for its cutting operation; It may be assumed that, as shown in Fig. 1, the machine is ready for the first breaching operation, with the first broach mounted in working position and enclosed within the coolant tube 6; while the pull rod or shank for the broach eX- tends through the gun barrel 3 and is coupled to the pull plate seen at I4. The remaining three broaches of the regular series and the finishing broach are shown on the rack l ready for use as needed. Fig. 13 shows the first broach A as comprising a threaded terminal IS with an adjacent cylindrical pilot section which may have grooves l8 forlubricant or coolant; at intervals along the shank of the broach A are the cylindrical cutting teeth 23 of graduated diameter and with their cutting splines 2| of uniform width throughout" the length of the broach. In accordance with the present invention, the second broach shown in section at Bin Fig. 15 has a series of splines 22 which are wider than the splines 2| 0f the first broach, but the successive teeth of the broach B correspond in external diameter to thoseo'f the broach A. Similarly in the broach C. (see Fig. 16) the splines 23 are wider than the splines 22, but the teeth are graduated through the same range of diameters as in the preceding broaches; and, likewise, in the broach D the splines 24 are still wider than those of the preceding broaches, but the diameters of the teeth range through the same graduated series. In other'words, the first broach cuts grooves in .the bore of the gun barrel 3 to the full required depth,

and each successive broach widens these grooves until the final width is attained, and the splines left standing in the gun barrel constitute the desired rifiing effect. And since this rifling is to have a helical pitch, all the broach teeth are cut with'this pitch and each broach is rotated at a predetermined rate as it'is drawn through the work. The first broach A is positively rotated by mechanism, hereinafter described, and each of the succeeding broaches is provided with a helically fluted pilot section such as that shown at 25 on the broach Bin Fig. 18. The splines of each pilot section are dimensioned to fit the helical grooves formed by the preceding broach, and the broaches B, C and D are free to turn in response to this interengagement of their pilot sections with the broached grooves in the gun barrel,

Fig. 20 shows the pull rod or shank 26 provided for the broach A. This rod includes a hollow, threaded terminal 21 for engagement with the threads of the termina1 IS on the broach A, and at its opposite end the rod is reduced at 28, leaving a head portion 29 which is engageable in the pull head of the machine as shown in detail in Fig. 10.

This pull head includes a stem 36 with a cylindrical shell 3| slidably mounted thereon and held yieldingly against the head 32 of the stem 30 by coiled spring 33. In this position the four radially slidable jaw members 34 in the head are held at their inner limits of movement by engagement of their T-heads 34 with the wall 35 of the shell 3| at its smaller internal diameter, so that the inner ends of the jaws engage the reduced portion 28 of the pull rod with the head 29 stopped against the jaws as seen in Fig. 10. To release the pull rod, it is only necessary to push back the shell 3| against the pressure of spring 33 so as to bring the larger internal diameter of the shell at 36 into registration with the jaws 34, leaving them free to move outwardly. The beveled shoulder 31 of the pull rod acting against the beveled edges 38 of the jaws 34 operates to shift them outwardly for releasing the rod 26.

The threaded end of the stem 30 of the pull head is secured in a rotatably mounted shaft 49 and is interlocked therewith by means of a key 39 so as to turn with the shaft. In order to cause the pull rod 26 for the first broach A to be turned by the rotation of the shaft 48 and the pull head interlocked therewith, the head portion 32 carries a radially disposed plunger 4| having a T-head 42 which, when engaged with the inner surface 36 of the shell, holds the plunger 4| inwardly to engage the flat area 26 of the shank 26. The pull rods for the other broaches B, C and D are not formed with these flat areas and are not intended to be interlocked for rotation-with the pull head 32; therefore, when the other broaches are employed the shell 3| is rotated through a limited angle by its handle 43 to bring a clearance notch 44 into registration with the T-head 42 and allow the plunger 4| to move outwardly so as to accom- *modate the full diameter of the pull rod without interlocking engagement therewith. This leaves the pull rod and its broach free to turn in the pull head so as to follow exactly the rifiing produced by the first broach A, although the relative rotation between the broach B, C or D and the pull head will be very slight, in view of the fact that the pull head will be rotated in each of the succeeding broaching operations, just as it is during the operation of the broach A.

For efiecting the rotation of the pull head, there is mounted in the mechanism section 2 a lead screw 45, sometimes referred to as a spiral bar, which is fixed against rotation and against endwise movement. The pull plate I4 is secured to the face of a traveling crosshead or hearing block 46 in which there is journaled a nut 4! threaded to fit the helical grooves 48 of the lead screw 45 so as to be rotated about its axis when .5 the cross head- 4 6 travels along the-axis of the screw 45. The nut 1'4"! carries a gear-:49 which meshes with an idler pinion 50 by whic'h rotation is transmitted-to agea-r secured to the shaft 40in which the pull head is carried. Theiheavy bearing block or -crossheaol 46 is mounted to travel along suitable ways 2 provided in the section -32 (ofthe-mach'ine and is connected by an extension or slide 52 witha hydraulic ram 53, as shown in Fig. The cylinder 54 is conveniently mounted in the lower portion of the housing of the mechanism section -2 and may extend under the work-table l /iovement. ofv the ram353to the right, .as seen in Fig. 6,, carriesthe extension v:52 with it. and-draws the :crosshead and pull plate 114, together wi-ththerpull head 3:1, inthe direction-to draw-the broachthrough thegun barrel .Forconvenience :in construction, .the bearing block :dficonsists of twoipnincipal portions assembled facetoziacaand the extension :52 is connected to the ,hearing :block by means -.of .a threaded. stud, seen at 55in Fig. .10.

:Tofacilitate the placing. of each broach :in the machinein the position :of use, the coolanttube 'fiiscarried :by its brackets 7 L011 arod :56 and the :brackets lsengage said rod Ebyvmeans of rollers 15.8 carried in thezrbrackets so that :therrcd :5 constitutes -a track or :running .rail upon. winch the coolant. tube-t may be moved :bodily away from.;the end iof athedgun barrel {3; and when the tube'fi has been 'thussshifted a short distance, .it;may be :swung about-the axis of the red 1155 and Dllt of line with-the gun barrel so as. leave h i pen :end :of the barrel exposed for insertion of thepui l :rod or shank, such as the rod 26., Elbe adjacent-end 0f the tube 6 is also left exposed :for insertion of the broach it- .selfpafter :which the breach and its pull rod maybe 10111. 6. :at their threadedterminals, such .as'those shown at l6 and 21 :in Figs. 13 and 20, respectively the tube 6 being swung into alignment with the gun barrel for this purpose, Preferably, however, each breach :is-left connected with its pull red, as. seen cn-therack 15 in Fig.

,1, and the len th of the track 56 is sufiicient to permit retraction of the coolant tube fipast the position occupied by the breach when its =pull rod has beeninserted into the gun barrel 3 and connected into the pull head at 3!. The pull rodand broach will then extend through the connecting sleeve .Sand beyond said sleeve into space to a point adjacent, the ,open :end of the tube =6. Ifhe tube may then be slipped over the breach, its brackets l riding along the track 156 until the open end of-the tube 6 approaches the sleeve 8, the latter having been already shifted :into sealing position relative to the gun barrel ate. The beveled connector It, being adjustable on the threaded terminal 6* of the tube .5, will have been set to fit snuglyinto the .open end of the sleeve 8 and at this position a slidable locking dog 59 is shifted by its operating handle 69 into holding positionin contact with a collar G l on the tube 6 and adjacent one vof the brackets 1,. The locking dog 59 is not engagement with the sleeve, :8, also veifecting ."a similar engagement of the terminal 99 with the gun barrel 3. Reverse rotation of the :handle .68 will effect aquick release of the coupling am from the sleeve 8 when the next broachis to be installed in working position.

.Just prior to the working stroke of: the breach, the rack ['5 stands opposite the worktablesection I in convenient position for the operator when he is ready to place the breach in the;tna chine, as just described. -When.the breaching stroke has been completed, the. bearing block :46 with the pull plate [*4 and the pull head will-have arrived nearthe remote end ofrtheimechanism section '2, as shown in Fig. '2, and will havewithdrawn the breach and its pull rod from the end of the gun barrel supported .at 4. Thus it isnnly necessary to release the pull rodby shifting .back the shell 3-! of the pull head, a already described, in order to remove the breach from the machine. As the operator does :this he finds thera'ck I15 conveniently positioned adjacent the pointat which he is removing the broach, because the rack itself is mounted for travel ona runnin rail 6! extending along the back of .thBtSECtiDI-IS l and 2. The bracketed forming one1en d of the rack i5 is securely attached to the bearing block or head 45. This bracket and the other -,upright brackets 69, whichare elements of the flame-t5, are provided with hearingrollers 10 cwhich .ri'de upon the rail 61 .asrthe frame; I15 moves back and forth with the pull. head. Thus the operatormay easily place on the rack the breach which he. has just removed from the machine, and the will then shift the machine into reverse, .caus'ingxthe block 46 and its pull head to travel iback1to the I position shown in Fig. 1. At :the same time,.-;the

rack l5 will move back to a position opposite the work table so that, as the operator releases the coolant tube 6 from the end of the gun barrel and shifts the tube out of the-way, he can re:- move from the rack l5 thenext breach in be employed and insert it in position.

As shown in Figs. 14, 15 and 16, each of lthfi breaches A, B and C has threechannels 75,;extending longitudinally and positionedto register with spaces between the cutting splines-11f the teeth; in the broach D (see Fig. 17) "the corresponding channels 56 are narrower than the channels 15 because the available spacesare narrower. The coolant, which is supplied under pressure through the pipe H to the tube 18,, flows into the tube 6, which is closed atits outer end by its cap 80 and-thus maintains the coolantzunder pressure as it follows. along the chahnels115, or 16, of the. broach during the progress of the broach through the gun barrel..3. As indicated in .only slidableinto locking position .by virtue of 7 its slot .62 engaging the supporting pin 63, but the handle 60 is connected to operate a cam member 64 having a single tooth'65 which first engages in a notch 66 of the 010g 59 to shift it toward locking position, after which theslightly eccentric surface of the cam 64 bears against the tail portion of the dog-59 and rocks its opposite endagainst the collar -,6!;,-forcing the connector Ill-at the end of the tube-into firmssealing Fig. 19, the cutting teeth 38 are. slightly undercut at their forward sides 29* adjacent their cutting edges, but at the rear sides, 29*, instead .of being backed up with. inclined portions, they :are made with faces substantially perpendicular to: the axis. Itis found that with beveled or inclined backing there isa tendency for the coolant, flowing from the rear end of the breach under pressure, to force the chips outwardly along the inclined backing, causing them to pack and toscratch the interior surface of the gun bar-- rel. But with the rear faces of the teeth as shown in Fig..l9, perpendicular to the axis, these faces merely act to dam the flow without moving the chips outwardly or wedging them against the bore of the gun.

It may be understood that the number of gbroachesemployed to produce ;a satisfactory result will vary somewhat, depending upon the length of the working stroke, the depth of the out, and the character of the metal being worked upon. With the set of four breaches herein shown, the final finishing cut will usually be made with the fourth breach D, but occasionally this breach may become slightly dull, not perceptibly so, but sufficiently to leave slight scratches On the work. In such cases the fifth breach, E, having its final cutting teeth just a trifle larger than those of the breach D, but with splines of exactly the same width, is pulled through the bore, thus very slightly increasing its diameter within the limiting tolerance and cleaning up any imperfections in the surface.

But on the assumption that the breach D will I usually make the final cut, it may be explained that the graduated series of teeth for breaches A, B and C vary in diameter through exactly the same range, while the finishing breach D has a few teeth at the larger end which are slightly larger than the final teeth of the other breaches. The pilot sections of the first three breaches have body diameters which are all slightly less than the bore of the gun barrel, allowing two or three thousandth-s of an inch for working clearance. This may permit the first three breaches to shift slightly so that they may not follow each other perfectly, and may cause reflections or even slight steps in the grooves which are successively widened by these three breaches. These imperfections are corrected by the larger final teeth of breach D, or the final breach of whatever number compose the complete series for a given job. This final broach also differs from the others in that its body diameter between successive teeth is made substantially smaller toward the finishing end than at the leading end. In a breach having about thirty teeth, the body diameter between the last fifteen to eighteen teeth is thus made several thousandths of an inch smaller than the preceding portions of the body and, to the same extent, smaller than the body portions of the preceding breaches; the final chips removed by the last teeth of this breach are so thin that this extra clearance space is provided for them to insure that they shall not become wedged or jammed in such positions as to scratch the bore of the gun barrel, and, as

will be evident, this added clarance also permits a freer flow of oil or coolant, which contributes further toward keeping the chips from causing damage to the finished surface. Fig. 19 may be considered as a fragmentary section through the axis of the breach D, showing a body portion of larger diameter at D and an adjacent body portion D of the smaller diameter.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a breaching machine, a horizontally elongated frame, a pull head mounted for horizontal reciprocation thereon, a breach connected to the pull head, work supporting means for a work piece having a bore to be breached, a tube for coolant, closed at one end, alignable with the bore of the work piece and provided with means at its other end to form a disengageable sealed connection with said bore, said tube being dimensioned to enclose the breach when the latter is positioned at the beginning of its working stroke,

and supporting means for said tube on which said tube is movable out of connection with said here into a position exposing the open end of the tube for entry of the breach therein.

2. In a breaching machine, a horizontally elongated frame, a pull head mounted for horizontal reciprocation thereon, a breach connected to the pull head, work supporting means for a work piece having a bore to be breached, a tube for coolant closed at one end and open at the other end supported in alignment with said bore, said tube having a shoulder and locking means movably mounted on the frame and adjustable to exert pressure on the shoulder and effect sealing engagement of the open end of the tube with said bore, said tube being dimensioned to accommodate the breach in its initial position preparatory to the breaching stroke.

3. In a breaching machine, a horizontally elongated frame, a pull head mounted for horizontal reciprocation thereon, a breach connected to the pull head, work supporting means for a work piece having a here to be breached, a tube for coolant closed at one end and open at the other end supported in alignment with said bore, said tube having an external shoulder, a locking member on the frame slidable transversely of the tube into and out of engagement with said shoulder, guiding means for said locking member on which it is also swingable toward and from the shoulder, and a cam operable to swing the locking member against the shoulder to effect a sealing connection between the open end of the tube and said bore of the work piece, said tube being dimensioned to accommodate the breach in its initial position preparatory to the breaching stroke.

4. In a breaching machine, a horizontally elongated frame, a pull head mounted for horizontal reciprocation thereon, a breach connected to the pull head, work supporting means for a work piece having a bore to be breached, a tube for coolant, closed at one end, alignable with the bore of the work piece and provided with means at its other end to form a disengageable sealed connection with said bore, said tube being dimensioned to enclose the breach when the latter is positioned at the beginning of its working stroke, and supporting means for said tube comprising a single rail mounted on the frame parallel to the axis of said bore of the work piece and extending therefrom in the same direction as said tube, together with carrying brackets embracing said rail and extending therefrom to the tube adapted to ride along the rail or to swing thereon about the axis thereof to carry the tube longitudinally away from the here or shift it transversely out of alignment therewith, to facilitate placing the breach in working position.

5. In a breaching machine, a horizontally elongated frame, a pull head mounted for horizontal reciprocation thereon, a breach connected to the pull head, work supporting means'for a work piece having a bore to be breached, a tube for coolant, closed at one end, alignable with the bore of the work piece and provided with means at its other end to form a disengageable sealed connection with said bore, said tube being dimensioned to enclose the breach when the latter is positioned at the beginning of its working stroke, and supporting means for said tube on which the tube is movable transversely upon disconnection from said bore of the work piece to expose the open end of the tube for entry of the breach therein, said breach having a detachable shank initially disposable in the bore of the work piece and connectible with the breach upon realignment of the tube with said bore.

6. In a breaching machine, a horizontally elongated frame, a pull head mounted for horizontal reciprocation thereon, a breach connected to the pull head, work supporting means for a work piece having a bore to be broached, a tube for coolant, closed at one end, alignable with the bore of the work piece and provided with means at its other end to form a disengageable sealed connection with said bore, said tube being dimensioned to enclose the breach when the latter is positioned at the beginning of its working stroke, and supporting means for said tube including a track along which the tube is retractable away from the end of the work piece by a distance approximating the length of the breach, said broach having an elongated shank which is initially inserted in the bore of the work piece'withthe broach proper extending toward the retracted tube, whereby said tube is then movable upon its track into telescoping relationwith the breach and sealing connection with the bore,

7. In a breaching machine, a horizontally extending frame, a pull head mounted for reciprocation along the frame, supporting means on the frame for a work piece having a here to be broached, a rack formed to support a plurality of breaches which are designed to be engaged by the pull head and to operate successively upon the bore of the work piece, said rack being movable along the frame in a path substantially parallel with that of the pull head, said rack being initially disposed adjacent the position at which .a breach is inserted in the pull head, and means shifting said rack during the working stroke of the breach to a position adjacent the position of the pull head at which the breach is to be removed from the pull head.

8. In a breaching machine, a horizontally extending frame, a pull head mounted for reciprocation along the frame, supporting means on the frame for a work piece having a bore to be broached, a plurality of broaches each formed for engagement by the pull head and designed to operate successively upon the bore of thework piece, anda rack for said breaches mounted for travel along the frame and coupled to'the pull head for reciprocation therewith, said rack being disposed and maintained adjacent the position occupied by a breach mounted in the pull head.

9. In the combination defined in claim 8, said rack having supports for holding the breaches,

one above another in a substantially .vertical plane, and extending in parallel relation to the working position of a breach engaged with the pull head.

11. In a breaching machine, a horizontally extending frame, a crosshead mounted for reciprocation along the frame, a pull head carried by the crosshead, supporting means on the frame for a work piece having a bore to be breached, a breach secured in the pull head to b drawn through said bore, a slide extending from the crosshead, the frame having ways for said slide and crosshead, an hydraulic cylinder mounted under the work support and crosshead with a ram projectible from said cylinder below the slide, a terminal on the slide connected to the ram for its actuation thereby, a helically grooved bar fixed in th frame extending throughthe crosshead and parallel to said ways at one side of the axis of the pull head, said pull head being mounted for rotation about its axis and engaging the breach for rotating it, a follower nut on said bar journaled for rotation in the crosshead, and gearing in the crosshead connecting said nut with the pull head to rotate it as the crosshead advances along the ways. I

12. In a breaching machine which includes a support for a work piece having a bore to be broached, a breach having a solid body and a series of splined cutting teeth, and means supplying coolant under pressure to said here from the rear end of the breach, the rear faces of said cutting teeth against which the coolant is fed extending in. planes perpendicular to the axis of the'broach.

13. In a, breaching machine, a horizontally extending frame, a pull head mounted for reciprocation alOng the frame, supporting means on the frame for a workpiece having a bore to be breached, a, rack formed to support a plurality of breaches which are designed to be engaged by the pull head and to operate successively upon the bore of the workpiece, said rack being mounted for travel along the frame in a path substantially parallel to that of the pull head and being initially disposed adjacent the position at which 10. In a breaching machine, an elongated frame, a pull head mounted for reciprocation along the frame, supporting means on the frame for a work piece having a bore to be breached, said pull head being mounted for rotation about an axis aligned with the axis of said bore, a breach locked in the pull head for rotation therewith and formed with splined cutting teeth,

means on the frame interengaged with the pull head and operableto cause rotation thereof and of the breach at a predetermined rate as the pull head travels along the frame, said pull head including a cylindrical body portion with a cylindrical shell rotatable thereon, the body having an axial bore to receive the shank of the breach,

said shank having a flattened area disposable in said bore, and a plunger slidably carried in the body with one end engaging said flattened area of the shank and with theother end confined by the shell, said shell having a clearance recess positioned to register with" the plunger when the shell is rotatively adjusted on the body, permitting outward movement of the plunger to release the breach shank.

a breach is inserted in the pull head, and means shifting said rack during the working stroke of the breach to a position adjacent the position of the pull head at which the breach is to be removed therefrom and shifting said rack during the return stroke to the position at which a different broach is to be inserted in the pull head.

14. A broach having a plurality of splined, helically disposed cutting teeth and including a pilot section positioned to enter the work ahead of said teeth and having non-cutting, elongated, helical splines of a pitch to follow 'in helical grooves previously formed in the workpiece.

15. A broach having a plurality of splined,

helicallydisposed cutting teeth and including a grooves previously formed in the workpiece, said cutting teeth being of progressively increasing depth and of uniform width greater than the width of said non-cutting splines.

16. A broach having a plurality of splined cutting teeth and including a pilot section positioned to enter the work ahead of said teeth and composed of non-cutting, elongated splines positioned to follow in grooves previously formed in the work piece, said cutting teeth being of progressively increasing depth and of uniform width greater than the width of said non-cutting splines.

FRANCIS J. LAPOINTE. 

